A special education local plan area submitting a local plan, pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 56195.1, which includes all of the school districts located in the county or counties submitting the plan, except those participating in a countywide special education local plan area located in an adjacent county, and which meets the criteria for special education local plan areas with small populations set forth in Section 56212, is eligible to request that designation in its local plan application.
This section shall become operative on July 1, 1998.